Congratulations to our Under-14 Division 1 team who qualified for the County Final with a well-deserved  4-9 to 2-6 victory over Moate All-Whites in a winterish Springfield on Wednesday evening.  Playing against the wind, Shamrocks trailed by the minimum margin at the interval (1-6 to 2-2).  Tom Frayne and Seaghan Óg Collins were the Shamrocks goalscorers and Josh Burke and Jamie Byrne kicked the points. 

However, it was the man at the other end who was responsible for confining the Moate attackers to the single goal. Kaedon Govender pulled off at least three brilliant saves before he was finally beaten from close range by Thomas Quinn. Kaedon did manage to get a finger-tip to the shot but the power was too much on this occasion. Kaedon’s restarts are also of the highest quality and on a par with his shot stopping ability. 

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Aaron Smith scored the crucial goal ten minutes into the second half. Rogan Moore, displaying all the characteristics of his full-back line ancestors, brilliantly won possession deep in defence and close to the sideline. Rogan burst clear and delivered what old-style commentators referred to as ‘a long relieving clearance’ (Sometimes traditional is best0. The ball travelled in the wind and broke to Tom Frayne. Tom’s approach was more subtle and with a few shimmies and some neat footwork sent Aaron Smith clear on goal. Aaron made no mistake with the finish.

 Kaedon saved well again before points from Gavin Mooney (0-2), Harry Gavin and Dylan Conlon  extend the Shamrocks  lead to six points (3-6 to 1-6). 

Matthew Leavy had just entered the pitch when he was fouled and Tom Frayne slotted the resultant penalty before Gavin Mooney pointed a free and then  kicked the only two-pointer of the evening. On the stroke of time, Moate All-Whites secured their only score of the half when Oisin McMahon’s shot floated to the net. 

Too little, too late. Mullingar Shamrocks were county final bound where Tubberclair will supply the opposition. 

Two-pointer watch = 1

Mullingar Shamrocks: Kaedon Govender; Evan Palmer (Dylan O’Reilly), Rogan Moore, Donnacha Doyle; Jamie Byrne (0-1), Dylan Conlon (0-1), Harry Gavin (0-1); Gavin Mooney (0-5), Jesse Mbiachare; Óisin Thornton, Paul Donlon (Cian Gavin), Josh Burke (0-1) [Matthew Leavy]; Seaghan Óg Collins (1-0) [James Casey], Aaron Smith (Caolan Murphy), Tom Frayne (2-0).